Revisiting the Easter Story

Happy Easter!

Easter came early this year. The earliest it has been for a number of years. From what I hear, it's the earliest it will be for a number of years more.

I remembered the "true meaning" of Easter. Of course, I did.

I also remembered the laundry, the floors that needed to be swept, the lunch that needed to be prepared, the phone calls wishing others a "Happy Easter", a business call and to write on my "To Do" list for next week: Bring out the linens and the whites!

There.... back to Easter.

I opened up my Bible a few moments ago.... yes, check the time of the post .... I hate to admit that the most important part of today came the latest.

I know why we celebrate Easter. Memorized, like the pledge of allegiance, or brushing my teeth half asleep in the morning. I know it all too well that I have forgotten to attach meaning to it at all.

Funny how we do that. We know stories so well we recite them and forget the emotion behind the event. We know people so well we could predict their move before they have a chance to think it on their own...yet, our familiar cadence often produces a stale environment where little love and passion grows. We go through the motions... but, often we are bad actors.

We have to revisit our stories in order to remember the true meaning. In order to feel the spark and experience the gravitating force that slams our hearts back into what is really real.... and not just a memorized story line portraying something that was once real.

Revisit those things that are important to you today... this week... this month. Tell stories with your partner about the times you met and what made the spark ignite from the first moment. Share with others the time you felt a calling or were moved to make a major decision in your life. Even the painful parts of our past hold energy that has propelled us to where we are today. Revisit, relive and give rebirth to yourself today.

Remember the Easter story is in itself a story about the true potential of miracles and the power of kept promises. The same God that rose Jesus from the grave can also preform miracles in you.

Don't let the Easter story, or your own story, go stale. Re-read it and rise with new energy today.

The recipe for luck.

Do you believe in luck?

I often question this. Do we bring about our own good fortune, or is there really a random field of energy that graces a few?

I looked up the four leaf clover this morning. I knew it represented luck, but could not remember what the leaves represented.

According to legend, each leaf represents something.

The first is hope, the second is faith, third is love and fourth represents happiness.

Hope, Faith, Love and Happiness -

Not one of the leaves represents "luck". But, it seems to me that this legend is indicating that the mixture of one's hope, faith, love and happiness is the perfect recipe for luck.

So, like other mysteries in life, I think that if we turn our attention away from "luck" and focus on the ingredients that produce good fortune, we can truly experience joy.

Are you hopeful? Faithful? Loving? Are you doing all that you can to bring happiness into your life and others? Find the leaf that is weakest for you and begin practicing it this week.

Take down the dulcimer.

"Today, like every other day, we wake up empty

and frightened. Don't open the door to the study

and begin reading. Take down the dulcimer.

There are a thousand ways to kneel and kiss the ground.

Let the beauty we love be what we do."

I found this excerpt in the Spirituality And Health magazine for this quarter. Kabir Helminski and Lida Saedian translated these words and many more from "a medieval Islamic ascetic" named Rumi, who is known by many as a philosopher and spiritual guru.

I read this quote over and over again. In the way you are initially attracted to something, these words danced on the page as I sat propped up in the bed last night. I awoke this morning with it on my mind, too.

At first it was because I had no idea what the word "dulcimer" meant. Webster informed me that it was a stringed instrument.

Ahh... now the quote makes sense to my simple brain.

Why does he say we are empty and frightened? And then imply this is a daily feeling?

My interpretation of these words are this:

There are so many ways to enjoy life and and our walk in this world. If we continue to only watch and read about the things we love, and never actually experience it, we will be empty for the rest of this life. The fear lies in our own self conscious behaviors that don't allow us to actually do what we love. We watch sports, but do we throw the football in the yard? I love music, but attempt to play the piano - I'm too afraid - or not enough time.

This week do what Rumi suggests..... put down the books, walk away from the TV and experience your beauty. Then, you will have a full life.

Back in the Saddle.

"I'm back in the saddle again!"

"I'm back!"

Too bad I don't know any of the other words to that song. Really too bad for those that live around me. I can sing (aka yell) and dance (aka jump around with my air guitar and scrunched up nose) to the same two lyrics of a song all day.

"I'm back in the saddle again!" I think my cat actually rolled her eyes at this outburst.

The angel who adorns brown cotton clothes, a smile and an electronic clip board blessed me my new computer!! It's a week of celebration!

My old buddy is back. My fingers can dance on the keyboard and document my internal dialogue. Today is a good day.

Lately I have noticed more smiles all around me. Maybe it's the sunshine that stays around a little longer, or the rain in my neck of the woods that is so needed. The hint of spring on the horizon, or the tiny green leaves emerging from the ground. Whatever it is, people seem to be rejoicing that their treasures have returned back to them. Never lost, but gone long enough for us to forget about the joy they bring.

In all my excitement of the computer, I still feel the familiar twinge of pain in my chest.

The unsettling in my stomach.

Who or what is the culprit of this nagging sensation that draws me out rock band mode?

Guilt. For no particular reason, I suppose. Not a logical one anyway.

I have been given very much in this life. More than my share. So, when something more is given to me I feel a small sting of doubt, "Do I deserve this?". What about those who are given little?

And here is where we begin walking the very fine line.

Lean too much one way and you risk living a life where you ignore all of your blessings and turn your back on your own needs. You constantly turn away from the gifts of love (be it relational or material) and abandon what God deemed good for you because you can not accept that you are worthy of abundance. Therefore you lack... not just materially, but spiritually. Ever felt like you give and give to someone and they are not grateful? We do it to God everyday when we ignore our own gifts.

Lean too much the other side and you become a slave to acquiring more in order to feed the craving. Getting more things means requiring a status in this world. The jolt of excitement fades away after each new thing. So, you are always wanting. Rarely grateful, and instead believing you have fallen victim to the perception that whatever blessing you receive will never be enough to fill your tank. On both sides of this line, our blessings go unnoticed eventually. God goes unnoticed eventually.

They key to any balancing act is to focus on one thing. In yoga, it's the spot on the floor where my eyes become fixed. The running back keeps his eyes glued to the touchdown mark, just as the defensive team is glued to the quarter back (did I actually make a football comparison?). The dancer "spots" a part of the room before she twirls around as to not get dizzy. Even when I was learning to drive, I was instructed to keep my eyes in my lane and not the surrounding traffic.

Remember, keep your eyes focused on your God, on the truths for your spirituality and the real meaning of life. This is the space where in celebration or grief, you never loose site of the giver of all things and you can truly experience joy.

"I'm back!"